Thomas Flanagan

FLANAGAN, THOMAS JOHN, SR. In Branford, CT on Tuesday, November 12, 2013, Thomas John Flanagan Sr, 92, longtime resident of Madison and Ridgefield, CT passed away peacefully. Beloved husband of the late Jane Frances Erickson Flanagan, Mr. Flanagan was born Nov. 15, 1920 in Somerville, MA son of the late Michael Flanagan and Bridget “Delia” McCarthy Flanagan of Ireland. Loving father of Elizabeth (Flanagan) Viloudaki of Madison, CT and Thomas J. Flanagan Jr and his wife Kimberly of Dunstable, MA. Loving grandfather to Eva Grace and Thomas J. Flanagan III of Dunstable and Emily Jane and William James Viloudaki of Madison. Predeceased by three sisters, Rita Foley, Josephine Fallon, Mary Tighe and two brothers, Francis and James Flanagan. Loving uncle, godfather, friend and mentor to many. Mr. Flanagan was a graduate of BC High and Boston College and served on the Board of Trustees for his beloved Alma Mater. He attended Columbia Graduate School of Management at Arden House, along with further graduate studies at Harvard and Oxford in Air Transportation. It was at BC at the start of WWII that he joined the Civil Pilots Training Program, where he found his love of flying. He was hired by Pan Am and during World War II, Mr. Flanagan served his country in the US Navy as a pilot. After his wartime service, Captain Flanagan continued his aviation career with Pan American World Airways out of JFK and the PanAm Building for over 45 years, befriending many dignitaries along the way, including Juan Trippe, Charles Lindbergh, Willy Brandt, “Tip” O’Neill, Maureen O’Hara and Charlie Blair and meeting Presidents’ Reagan and Bush Sr. as well as many other dignitaries from around the world. By the end of his distinguished career, he had flown aircraft from the “clipper” ships (flying boats) to the Boeing 747 and served in over 20 executive administrative roles, continually rising through the ranks of management. He was appointed SVP of Operations, International Affairs, Far-East Operations, and Assistant to the President to name a few. He was responsible for introducing the 747 into airline service, for negotiating hostage crises and for opening flight routes into China. In 1978, he started Pan Am World Services Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Pan Am and was the president and CEO of this $500 million venture until his retirement. Captain Flanagan received several awards for his military and aviation career including: The Commanders Cross of the German Order of Merit from the German government for his outstanding work in connection with service to Berlin during the Berlin Airlift from 1953-1961 and a Certificate of Merit from US Department of Defense’s General Westmoreland as Director of the R&R project for outstanding contributions to the morale and welfare of the troops in Vietnam from 1966-1969. He served Pan Am well in its mission to unite the world and was truly a member of the Greatest Generation. He will be deeply missed. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Margaret’s R.C. Church, 29 Academy St, Madison on Saturday, November 16 at 12 noon. Burial with Military Honors will follow in West Cemetery, Route 1, Madison. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Captain Flanagan’s memory may be made to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, 8201 Corporate Drive, Suite 1000, Landover, MD 20785; www.aafa.org or Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 75817, Topeka, KS 66675. Arrangements from the Guilford Funeral Home, 115 Church St, Guilford, CT 06437. www.GuilfordFuneralHome.com